KARACH: The Businessmen Group (BMG) leadership and Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCCI) office-bearers on Thursday expressed concerns over the arrest of Abdul Hameed Agar by National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Karachi and said that the businessman – who happens to be the brother of former KCCI president Haroon Agar – has been arrested on charge of an alleged Sales Tax Refund of ‘meager’ amount of Rs150,000 without serving any notice prior to the arrest.
BMG Chairman Siraj Kassam Teli, BMG Vice Chairman Tahir Khaliq and other business community leaders, in a joint statement, said that in this regard, a letter has been sent to National Accountability Bureau Chairman Justice (retired) Javed Iqbal in which the arrest of Hameed has been strongly condemned as this move by NAB Karachi has triggered a great deal of unrest amongst businessmen and industrialists.
They said that the entire business and industrial community of Karachi criticises the way NAB Karachi has executed such a stern action against a reputable businessman, who has been doing business since past many years and holds a spotless record. KCCI has never ever received any kind of complaint against him, they added. They said the arrest should only be made, if the accused fails to respond to NAB’s notices or avoids to appear before the bureau.
They said such a behavior towards reputable member of the KCCI has intensified anxiety amongst business and industrial community and is likely to trigger the trust-deficit which is neither in the interest of NAB nor in favour of the country.
They claimed that the KCCI never supports any culprit or tax evader. If NAB shares the evidences and information against any businessman or industrialist with KCCI, which will strictly be kept confidential, the situation would not be as bad as seen in this particular case.
